Archive for January, 2013

ShareMark 7:1-13 “making the Word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down” (verse 13.) This is the essence of Jesus’ teaching this morning. He is so concerned that people not exchange the Word of God for the traditions of men that He goes so far as to call the […]

Share The Gospels are filled with the most intriguing and edifying details. I find that they are so odd and unexpected sometimes that they confirm the authenticity of the Gospel writers’ accounts. Here in Mark 6:48 we come across one of those intriguing and at first baffling details. Here’s the set up to the story: […]

ShareMark 6:30-44 God has a simple message for you today: “I am calling you to do something that’s too hard for you to do so that you can remember to trust in Me.” You should remember that because it’s both challenging and true. You are not the first that God has so called. In today’s […]

ShareMark 6:14-29 “The truth is out there.” So says the TV series The X-files. And the Truth is indeed out there, but what John the Baptist proved by his life is that the Truth needs truth-bearers to stand up and proclaim it. Only if those who know the Truth proclaim the Truth will the Truth […]

Share In this passage Jesus the Great Master sends out His disciples, in particular the 12, to go and be His presence in the world. Jesus knows that in His human form He is limited in space: He can only be in one place at a time. He also knows that His time is limited, […]

SharePhilippians 1:12-26 Every day we are faced with a multitude of choices, some small and some great. We often live a binary existence, having to make choices between two alternatives. Should I marry him or not? Should I take the new job and the risks involved? Keeping in mind that we just lived through Sanctity […]

SharePhilippians 1:1-11 Among all of the other wonderful elements in The Lord of the Rings, it is perhaps a story more about fellowship than anything else. In fact, the second volume of the trilogy is called The Fellowship of the Ring. In that story, great fellowship takes place among many different kinds of creatures. If […]

ShareEphesians 6 Have you ever gotten involved in something that suddenly revealed itself as being a lot more serious than you thought? For some, this happens in marriage, and they are like Jacob who thought he had married Rachel. But Behold! it was Leah! For Diedre Cobb, it was joining the Army Reserves and facing […]

ShareEphesians 5:15-33 We’ve come this morning to a difficult passage of Scripture – not difficult because it’s hard to understand, but difficult because it’s hard for us to accept what God wants to teach us. The passage is Ephesians 5:21-33, and in it St. Paul gives us clear commands about the relationship between husbands and […]

ShareEphesians 5:1-14 Have you ever been on a walk that was more than just a walk? Perhaps it was a romantic walk; or maybe an important business matter was discussed during a walk; or a life-changing decision was made during a walk. I remember going on many walks with Jackie during which we discussed my […]

Parents as Pastors – The Prayer Book and the Anglican Family

Give Us This Day – Matthew

SharePossibly the Most Important Theological Work of the 20th Century Pope John Paul II’s “Man and Woman He Created Them,” popularly known as “A Theology of the Body” may be the most important theological work of the 20th century. I say this because John Paul II is not only a first-rate theologian but also because […]

ShareExcellent Analysis of Eastern Orthodox Conversions in America Amy Slagle’s “The Eastern Church in the Spiritual Marketplace” is an excellent, scholarly look at conversions to Eastern Orthodoxy in America. As an Anglican priest and professor, I’ve been interested in Eastern Orthodoxy, and especially the churches in the U.S. However, information other than that provided by […]

ShareStriking New Insights Into the Rise and Growth of Christianity I’m a big fan of Rodney Stark because his works are both scholarly and readable, as well as being well-argued, well-researched, and positively revelatory. His new book, “The Triumph of Christianity,” is similar to his earlier work, “The Rise of Christianity.” However he not only […]

ShareWise and Wonderful, Profound and Practical Marriage is clearly a troubled institution in American culture, and that includes even among American Christians. The problem is that so often Christians have accepted the world’s definitions of marriage. While many Christian books have been written on marriage, Tim Keller’s “The Meaning of Marriage” is one of the […]

ShareGood Material but Too Episodic and Superficial Albert Moehler is a Christian phenomenon. His presence for the good of God’s Kingdom seems to be everywhere, and finally he’s written a book. While I agree with almost all that Moehler has to say in “Culture Shift” I still don’t think it’s a great book. This is […]